Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-29
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.
q Prediction that Ii will Iuumtle the
Heavens This Year.
pbiladeIDbIg press
Auctlonecr.

Heavens This Year.
Philadelphia Press.
This year, it has been predicted, we are
to witness an extraordinary piece of
celestial fireworks, viz, the reappear-
ance OF the "Star of Bethlehem" and
since it is not impossible that the predic-
ton, although founded on rather meager
data, will be fulfilled, it may not be
unwise to prepare ourselves for
the stars advent by inquiring where
it will appear and what it may be
like. The history of this star is this:
On the evening of November IL, 1872, the
celebrated Danish astronomer, Tvcho
Brahe, returning from his laboratory,
CHANGED to cast his eyes heavenWard to
the starry vault and was aston
ished to observe star near the zenith
in CassiODia, of magnitude never be-
fore seen. This new star was without q
tail, was not surrounded by nebulous
light and was perfectly like al other fixed
stars, with the exception that it scintil-
lated more strongly than stars of the first
magnitude. When first discovered its
brightness was greater than that of Vega,
Sirius or Jupiter, and was comparable
only to that of Venus when she shines
with her greitest splendOr. Its brill
fancy was, in faCt,so great that those with
keen eyesight could perceive 1t in the
daytime and even at noon. Ia the
following December it had diminished so
much in luster that it Tesembled Jupiter.
By February, 1873, it had become re
duCed in brilliancy TO an ordinary star of
the first magnitude. By the following
November, one year after its first appear
anCe, 1t was only of the fourth magnitude,
and its light continued to fade until in
March, 1874, after having been visible
for seventeen months, it was no longer
disCernible to 1.-THE naked eye. This was
thirty seven years before the invention of
the telescope. Ia the year 94j and again
in 1864 brilliant star is recorded to have
made its appearance suddenly between
the constellation of Cepheus and Cassie
peia, near thes place where the new star
appeared in 1872. These three phenOmena
were not unnaturally connected together
even by ryCho Brahe and his contempo-
ries, and were regarded as Temperatures
of the same star. 1t was furthermore
suTmised that this star was no other than
the star of the magi, and
this question was warmly discussed
while the star was still shin
ing. It is, posi- ply, belief in this iden-
tity which led 10 the assignment TO the
star of period of 3l5 years. The actual
intervals are 319 and 3O8 years, which
gives q mean period of 8i3t years. But
if we reckon back from 1872 by periods of
3I5 years we are brought to the year B.
c., which is nearly Identical, according to
revised chronology, with the year of the
birth of Christ. Let US wait for this star
with becoming patience and see what we
shall see.
Venus and Jupiter are still rivals for
admiration as evening stars, although
the former SETS before the latter has
resched his most commanding position in
the heavens. Jupiter is now rapidly
retrogreding, es may be observed by not
ing from night t. night MS position with
relation to the star Spica. Saturn also is
sn evening star, but he sets st an early
hour. Uranus, invisible to the naked
eye, is ct about the same distance from
Spice, towards the west, as Jupiter is
tOwsEd the east: NeptCne, Mars and Mer-
curry are now tee near the sun to be visi-
ble